The Runaway Koby
Plot Koby was transported to Knapford Sheds by Percy the night after Flora's bad day, and stayed there until morning. Koby wasn't too happy about this. "Ugh, stupid railway!" he snorted. "Oh, quiet you!" snapped the express coaches. Koby was offended. "Like you express coaches are any better?" he said. All of the coaches at once refused to talk to Koby. Koby got crosser and crosser that night. By morning, he was furious at the railway. The Fat Controller had assigned James to work with Koby as his brake coach for his first passenger train. James was cross with this. "Hmph! Koby of all coaches! He's the worst coach ever!" James huffed as he rolled over Knapford Junction. Donald was at the station with a goods train, and found humour in the situation. "Och aye, so ye finally found some faults in coaches? About time too!" he chuckled as James was coupled up to the coaches. "You don't understand Donald! Koby insulted many engines yesterday!" he protested. "Aye, I heard. Good luck." Donald said as he puffed out of the station. James gulped as the guard blew his whistle. "Come along, come along." James puffed to the coaches. "We're coming along, we're coming along." tittered the coaches, all except for Koby, who stayed eerily silent. James almost thought he had him under control. "Perhaps he doesn't want to trick a Main Line engine. Understandable." chuckled James to himself, but he was still a little worried. James puffed into Crosby with his red coaches, surprised that Koby hadn't done anything yet, but little did the red engine know that Koby was planning. "I'll do it on the hill..." the coach snickered to himself. The guard blew his whistle and James puffed out of the station, starting through Crosby Tunnel. "I better be on the lookout." James sighed as suddenly Koby bumped into the other coaches. "Aah!" cried James as he exited the tunnel. The other coaches were cross. "That's no way to treat us!" they scowled. Koby just laughed. James groaned, "I knew this coach was trouble! Better be careful on Gordon's Hill. He might start acting up..." So James went faster as he raced through Wellsworth and up the hill. James heaved up the hill, pulling his train of four coaches, including Koby, behind him. He panted and wheezed as Koby started to strain. "Hold back! Hold back!" he giggled, just like a Troublesome Truck. James' wheels slipped, only causing Koby's coupling to grow weaker and weaker, until- "Woohoo!" Koby yelled as the coupling snapped, "It broke!" The passengers were surprised as Koby went faster and faster down the hill. The guard tried to brake but Koby didn't go any slower. Koby couldn't know that Henry was puffing up the hill, with a goods train. "Oh no!" Henry cried as he saw Koby rushing towards him. Koby cried out as he saw the green engine come closer. "Go backwards you buffoon!" Koby yelled. "Don't have to tell me twice." shouted Henry as he raced backwards as fast as his wheels would whir, but Koby was catching up fast. The signalman switched the points for Henry at Wellsworth, letting him to rush into a long siding. The points were switched back as Koby raced by. "That was too close." cried Henry. James rushed by backwards with his train. "Must catch up to Koby! Must catch up to Koby!" panted James. "I don't think Koby is worth fighting for..." muttered Henry. Points were switched to prevent a crash, as Gordon was heading into Wellsworth with the Express. "Watch out!" cried Gordon. Koby was horrified. "At least I lived a good life!" he cried just as he swerved onto a siding. Gordon raced past, wondering what was going on. The passengers were afraid, but Koby was slow enough for them to race out of the coach. Trucks were on the siding up ahead. The guard jumped out and alerted the yardmaster. "Oh no! Please, I don't want to crash!" shrieked Koby. James raced into the yards just in time to see the crash. Edward was at the station platform, watching the whole thing. "Uh oh..." Edward said. Then, Koby crashed into the trucks, destroying the trucks as Koby laid in ruins on the tracks. "Ouch. I think my undercarriage is broken!" Luckily, nobody was hurt, but Koby's roof had caved in and his sides had broken off. "Are you all right, Koby?" asked James. "Yes, thanks(!) All of my windows broke, my roof is destroyed, I only have one wall left, and my axles are broken, but for the most part, I'm okay(!)" said Koby sarcastically. "That's lucky!" said Edward, "That crash was horrid!" "....ow." Koby grumbled. Murdoch came with Rocky and the Fat Controller to inspect the damage. "Sir, what do we do with Koby?" asked Murdoch. "Yeah, he's two steps away from becoming scrap." agreed Rocky. The Fat Controller sighed as he brought his hand to his face. He walked up to Koby. "Koby, you've disappointed me greatly. I thought you'd be the perfect coach for Thomas' Branch Line, but you go crazy on Flora. Now you almost destroy yourself? You're just like a truck! As for what I'll do with you, I say you remain there until we figure out what to do." and the Fat Controller walked back into Murdoch's cab. Koby was too tired to say anything at all. That night, James puffed into Knapford Station, all tired out. Thomas was there already with his last run along his branch line. "How was Koby, James?" Thomas asked cheekily. James groaned. "He was the worst! He almost collided with Gordon and Henry and destroyed a number of trucks!" Thomas and his coaches gasped. "Bust my buffers; he was that bad?" Thomas asked. James murmured grimly. "I think the Fat Controller may make him stay there on that siding. Either that or relocate him." James said. Thomas was worried. "He's not going to scrap him, is he?" "Who knows. I doubt it, since this is the Fat Controller we're talking about, but who really knows? There's a first time for everything." and James puffed away. A half hour later, James returned to Tidmouth Sheds. The Fat Controller was already there. "Ah James, glad to see you could hear the announcement." he said. "Announcement, sir?" asked James worriedly. "Yes. As all of you know, Koby was a disaster. We won't replace him, because I feel it's not worth the effort anymore. We'll manage. Anyway, what are we going to do with him? Well... I relocated him to a field by Wellsworth, where he'll sit and think. After that, I'm not sure." the Fat Controller said. The engines looked to each other. "So you won't have to deal with Koby anymore. Good night, engines." and the Fat Controller walked away solemnly. An eerie silence fell over the sheds as they each went to sleep, relieved they won't have to deal with Koby anymore and slightly sorry for him at the same time. Characters * Thomas * Edward * Henry * Gordon * James * Donald * Murdoch * Rocky * Koby * The Fat Controller * Percy (does not speak) * Emily (cameo) * Duck (cameo) * Annie and Clarabel (cameo) * Flora (mentioned) Category:Sodor Adventures